Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Brandon Hillyard 2pm

Idea 1Blackboard is outdated and we need a new system.assumption: outdated is a bad thingreasons: way to many categories, doesn't run very well on internect explorer, some teachers use it very differently than others creating a guessing game for students trying to find out where information is stored

Idea 2:Making group assignments should not be used in a university, because it can be far too challenging to meet together and oftentimes trying to work with multiple schedules and people you don't even know.Assumption: college students are busyreason: we all have very unique busy schedules and styles of studying.

Idea 3: International students should have first priority to on campus jobsassumption: they need jobsreasoning: most, because of visa issues aren't allowed to work off campus anyway, and in order to come to byu they are required to pay a $4,000 down payment.

These ideas all look good. I agree with Bryan that if you can get the stats on how many students hold full-time jobs it would really help your argument on group work. I would also look into getting quotes from students/teachers/education experts about the effectiveness of group projects. These can be people you interview/talk to, as well as quotes you read while doing research.

The blackboard argument is one many people can sympathize with. I think the main thing you need to find out is why BYU hasn't changed and what it would cost to change. I know there are free programs out there, but I don't know if they have all the capabilities. Some departments at BYU are already using a different program (like construction management) and it would be good to talk to them about the alternatives.

The international students argument seems to also fall under a possible AA argument, where it isn't the person most qualified but the person who needs it the most. I'm not saying this is wrong, I'm just noting the similarities. You will want to find out and mention the exact visa regulations, as well as increased costs and required bank balances. I would say include examples of specific international students who are studying and thriving at BYU, but couldn't do so without a job on campus.